DAILY NEWS
Brussels, 11 October 2026
Read-out by President von der Leyen following her call with President Zelenskyy
Good call with President Zelenskyy.
Fully supported the call of President Zelenskyy for a ceasefire that would protect global food supplies and energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia
The war has entered a new, grimmer phase. Russia is stalling on the battlefield and striking civilians far behind the front lines.
I conveyed our solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
And my full support for President Zelenskyy as he leads the fight for his people's freedom.
Ukraine will be front and centre at this week's European Council.
We will discuss its funding needs for the year ahead and how to mobilise fresh global support.
This week, the EU will also provide further funding for drones and missiles to strengthen Ukraine's defences and protect its skies.
We are also due to open two further clusters of chapters in the negotiations. The momentum is real.
Statement on the International Criminal Court following announcement of US sanctions
The European Union has been a constant supporter of the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is deeply regrettable that the United States has announced intentions to impose sanctions.
The EU will work closely with the ICC to ensure it continues to operate effectively. And we remain committed to working with all 125 States that are parties to the Rome Statute to preserve and respect its independence so that it can continue its vital mission.
As there is a six-month delay before the measures are applicable, there is room for dialogue.
The EU stands ready to take any necessary measures to enable the Court to carry out its work both in investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity, and to protect the interests of EU operators within the Single Market.
International Criminal Court: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU following the announcement of US sanctions
The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order, of which the ICC is a fundamental part, based on respect for international law. International criminal justice plays a crucial role in holding to account those who violate international law by committing the most serious crimes of international concern.
The ICC does not target sovereign states. Under its foundational principle of complementarity, the ICC only acts if a state is unwilling or unable genuinely to investigate or prosecute individuals responsible for the most serious crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The US has a proud history and tradition of pursuing justice and accountability. The complementarity provisions of the ICC are designed to cater for and recognise the primacy of competent national judicial systems and processes such as the US legal system.
Attacks or threats against the Court, elected officials, personnel and those cooperating with the Court, including civil society representatives and service providers, are not acceptable. This is why the EU deeply regrets the announcement by the United States to impose sanctions against the Court as an institution. While we urge the US also to reverse these latest measures, we welcome its readiness to discuss its concerns with the State Parties to the Rome Statute and take note of the US decision to delay the entry into force of its latest measures. This creates space for diplomacy, with a view to securing their prompt reversal and preventing any further measures that seek to undermine the independence and integrity of the ICC.
The ICC must be able to operate independently, free from pressure or external interference. The EU will continue to provide its full support and contribute to ensure the protection of the Court, its staff and those cooperating with it. The EU stands ready to take all the necessary measures to ensure that the Court continues to operate effectively and fulfills its indispensable mandate.
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2026: Joint statement by the High Representative of the European Union and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The European Union and the Council of Europe are unequivocally opposed to the death penalty, in all cases and in all circumstances.
Progress towards the global abolition continued over the past year. Lebanon abolished the death penalty in August 2026. The Gambia and Vietnam reduced the number of crimes punishable by death and Sierra Leone ratified the second optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ruling out execution within the jurisdiction of the State Party. Cambodia, the Central African Republic and Chad all took steps towards ratification. These examples serve as a reminder that change is always possible.
Only 17 countries are known to have carried out executions in 2025, but the sharp increase of executions is alarming. Recorded executions have risen by 78% compared with 2024. Most took place in Iran but there were significant increases in Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Yemen. Executions continued in the United States. The executions carried out in China are not reflected in global statistics because of state secrecy, although it is estimated that thousands of death sentences were carried out in the country last year. Belarus remains the only country in Europe applying the death penalty.
Moreover, the continued use of the death penalty for drug-related offences is particularly concerning. Under international human rights law, capital punishment is restricted to the most serious crimes, understood as crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing. Using the death penalty to punish drug production and trafficking does not meet this threshold, nor is it effective. Evidence shows it does not deter crime better than other sentences. The death penalty also removes any hope of rehabilitation and will always carry the risk of fatal miscarriages of justice.
On this European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe call on all States that retain the death penalty to immediately establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition. A moratorium should lead to existing death sentences being commuted and the full compliance with international human rights law and standards, pending abolition.
The European Union and the Council of Europe remain resolute in opposing any attempt to reintroduce or expand the death penalty, including in Europe. Alongside international partners, civil society, and legal professionals, we will continue to promote democratic debate grounded in human rights and the rule of law, with the goal of achieving universal abolition. In this respect, the recent World Congress against the death penalty in France demonstrated the pivotal role that the judiciary can play in abolition, as well as the importance of engaging young people. We welcome Morocco’s decision to host the 10th World Congress in 2029.
The death penalty—including the process leading to execution—constitutes inhumane and degrading treatment. We call on all States to embrace restorative justice and join the growing global movement rejecting capital punishment.